Application of QuEChERS for Determining Xenobiotics in Foods of Animal Origin

Received Jul 24, 2017; Accepted Oct 15, 2017

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1. Introduction

The QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology was reported for the first time in 2003 by Anastassiades and coworkers as an alternative to traditional pesticide analysis [1]. QuEChERS involves a microscale extraction with acetonitrile combined with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) using primary secondary amine (PSA) or other sorbents for purifying the extract (Figure 1). This methodology shows advantages over traditional pesticide analysis as it requires only a small amount of reagents, and sample isolation and cleanup are achieved in a single step instead of a series of time-consuming solvent extractions. Furthermore, acetonitrile is the preferred solvent for QuEChERS instead of toxic organochlorine solvents, making QuEChERS more environmentally friendly. In addition, the acetonitrile extracts produced are versatile and can be analyzed by liquid or gas chromatography, and recoveries are generally high (Figure 2). Thus, the methodology has been modified for analyzing various pesticides including pyrethroids, organochlorine, and phosphorous pesticides in various food matrices [2].

[figure omitted; refer to PDF]

[figure omitted; refer to PDF]

QuEChERS was originally developed as a multiclass residue method for determining pesticides in fruits and vegetables [1]. Because fruits and vegetables have high water content and are low in fat, application of QuEChERS for pesticide analysis in other food matrices requires modifications. QuEChERS was adapted for analyzing pesticides in cereals by adding water to the dry ground sample, producing slurry for extraction [6], whereas C₁₈ was added for removing interfering lipids in oily samples like flaxseeds and peanuts [7].

Because pesticides are not the only xenobiotics in foodstuffs, analysis of veterinary drugs, mycotoxins, and other contaminants cannot be neglected. So far, QuEChERS has been predominantly applied for the analysis of contaminants in foods of plant origin. In addition to pesticides in various fruits and vegetables [2], acrylamide in potato chips, peanut butter, and chocolate [8] and aflatoxins in noodles...